Monthly Archives: February 2013

Urgent action is needed by government to prevent things getting worse!

February 26, 2013   Carers, family, Older care

Risk of abuse leaves 70% of adults afraid of ending up in care home

  • Inspection finds 1 in 6 nursing homes don’t treat patients with dignity and respect
  • Only 41% of relatives believe loved ones enjoy a good quality of life in care

By Jenny Hope

PUBLISHED: 00:07, 26 February 2013 | UPDATED: 07:36, 26 February 20

 

Fears: Half of those surveyed said their biggest concern if a close relative goes into care is the risk of abuse. (Picture posed by model)Fears: Half of those surveyed said their biggest concern if a close relative goes into care is the risk of abuse. (Picture posed by model)

Seventy per cent of adults fear ending up in a care home amid concerns about poor treatment and abuse, a survey reveals.

It found two thirds believe not enough is being done to tackle the problem, and half say their biggest concern if a close relative goes into care is the risk of abuse.

The Alzheimer’s Society report also shows a record 80 per cent of those living in care homes have dementia or severe memory problems, compared with previous estimates of around 62 per cent.

The report, Low Expectations, reveals the pessimism of relatives and carers about the quality of life in care homes.

It found fewer than half of dementia sufferers in care homes enjoy a good quality of life, with more than a quarter of relatives saying it is ‘poor’.

The report comes after six care workers at the Winterbourne View home near Bristol were sent to prison last year for ‘cruel, callous and degrading’ abuse of disabled residents.

At the same time, inspections by the Care Quality Commission found one in six nursing homes did not treat patients with dignity and respect.

The Alzheimer’s Society report estimates that 322,000 of 400,000 care home residents have dementia or memory problems.

However, it found only 41 per cent of relatives believe their loved ones enjoy a good quality of life in care, and 28 per cent think it is poor.

Despite this, the report found three quarters of relatives would recommend their family member’s home.

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Let’s help them to get in the charts for ‘Contact the Elderly’

February 26, 2013   Carers, Older care

Guitarist plays on charity song in a bid to reach the Top 40

4:50pm Saturday 23rd February 2013 in Wimbledon

Victor Haywood Victor Haywood

A guitarist from a Wimbledon retirement properties has played on a charity song in a bid to reach the Top 40.

Victor Haywood, 68, who lives in Louie Black House in Elm Grove, joined staff and older people living in Anchor care homes and retirement properties from across London to record the song.

More than 150 people from across the county will be singing segments of the song which will be mixed by a professional record producer.

All the money raised from the sales of the Anchor Community Band record will be donated to charity Contact the Elderly, which organises monthly tea parties for older people who live alone.

Mr Haywood, a folk and Irish music fan, has played the guitar for more than 30 years.

He said: “Rehearsing and recording this song with older people living in other Anchor properties has been such an amazing experience and fun. I’ve really enjoyed making music with them.

“It’s a really powerful song because the words are telling younger people we are exactly the same as them but just a bit older. At the same time, the lyrics are meaningful to my generation and will evoke memories for many.”

http://www.yourlocalguardian.co.uk/news/local/wimbledonnews/

 

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Anger and fear over change from DLA to PIP

February 25, 2013   Carers, disability

Paralympics stars express concern over losing disability allowance

Medal-winning British athletes say benefit provided them with vital support during training for Paralympic Games

 

Sophie Christiansen celebrates winning one of her three gold medals for dressage at last summer’s Paralympic Games.

British Paralympic stars have voiced anger about the imminent disappearance of the Disability Living Allowance, a benefit they say provided them with vital support during training.

The athletes have expressed concern that they may not be eligible for its replacement – the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) – which will be available to fewer claimants when it is introduced in April with tightened qualification criteria.

Disability Living Allowance (DLA), worth between £20 and £131.50 a week, is designed to help disabled people meet the extra costs of disability-related care and mobility. It is not means-tested and is available to those in or out of work.

The new system is designed to cut payments by £2.24bn annually by 2015-16, resulting in 500,000 fewer claimants. More than 2 million people will begin to be reassessed from this April to gauge their eligibility for PIP.

Sophie Christiansen, who has cerebral palsy, won three gold medals at the Games in dressage. She is worried that under the new criteria, she may find herself no longer eligible for the benefit, depending on how assessors judge her ability to get around.

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